The comedian John Urquhart, from Muir of Ord, entertained audiences throughout the Highlands and Islands for over fifty years, since his debut in 1952. He was better known as 'Johnny Bogan' or simply, 'The Bogan'. He died in November 2006. In this Moray Firth Radio audio extract from 2000 Johnny talks about his first big break.

Interviewer: Oh well, so ye started it at home, an then when wis yer first big break? Wis it a John Worth job? [John Worth was manager of the Inverness Empire Theatre].

Well, Dave Willis saw me doing a wee show Ah did on a Sunday night which wis oh, a big, big thing in those days, in Inverness, in the Empire. No shows were allowed in the Empire in Inverness. No shows in the pubs, no shows in clubs, an so ye had to get special permission to do it an Ah did a thing in the - for the British Legion - they did a show there on a Sunday night - an Ah did a - know the army character, with a - peeling spuds at a pail, ye know, the army thing? And he saw me doing it that night and he invited me on to the show, an no many comedians invite another comedian on show. So it wis good. Ah wis, of course, Ah wis all excited to do it an he would stand beside ye an he'd say 'Just calm down, just calm, take it calm, and just walk on as if ye've done it for the last hundred years. Just walk on', an ye'd pick up wee things like that, ye know?

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John Urquhart (The Bogan) - First Big Break

ROSS: Urray

2000s

comics; comedians; variety; show business; audio

Moray Firth Radio

MFR: Johnny Bogan

The comedian John Urquhart, from Muir of Ord, entertained audiences throughout the Highlands and Islands for over fifty years, since his debut in 1952. He was better known as 'Johnny Bogan' or simply, 'The Bogan'. He died in November 2006. In this Moray Firth Radio audio extract from 2000 Johnny talks about his first big break.<br />
<br />
Interviewer: Oh well, so ye started it at home, an then when wis yer first big break? Wis it a John Worth job? [John Worth was manager of the Inverness Empire Theatre]. <br />
<br />
Oh yes, aye. Well, Dave Willis. Dave Willis. [Dave Willis (1875-1973) wis a popular Scottish variety entertainer and comedian] That wis my big break.<br />
<br />
Interviewer: Wis it?<br />
<br />
Oh aye, aye. Ah enjoyed that. That wis great stuff.<br />
<br />
Interviewer: How did Dave Willis know Johnny Bogan then?<br />
<br />
Well, Dave Willis saw me doing a wee show Ah did on a Sunday night which wis oh, a big, big thing in those days, in Inverness, in the Empire. No shows were allowed in the Empire in Inverness. No shows in the pubs, no shows in clubs, an so ye had to get special permission to do it an Ah did a thing in the - for the British Legion - they did a show there on a Sunday night - an Ah did a - know the army character, with a - peeling spuds at a pail, ye know, the army thing? And he saw me doing it that night and he invited me on to the show, an no many comedians invite another comedian on show. So it wis good. Ah wis, of course, Ah wis all excited to do it an he would stand beside ye an he'd say 'Just calm down, just calm, take it calm, and just walk on as if ye've done it for the last hundred years. Just walk on', an ye'd pick up wee things like that, ye know?